Electrogalvanizing apparatus.



A. LAUGHLIN, JR. ELECTROGALVANIZING APPARATUS.

SHEETS--SHEET I.

A. LAUGHLIN JR.

ELECTROGALVANIZING APPARATUS.

' APPLICATION FILED NOV\ 25, 1914.

1 I Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

j 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A. LAUGHLIN, JR.

ELECTROGALVANIZING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED Nov.25.1914.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3 H I T ,l if 1 I I F I I I I ammo p cfidaxerlaz glii' Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

u M fikm M A. LAU GHLIN, 1R. ELECTROGALVANIZING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-25,19l4.

Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

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1361) Suva/M5040 MM fialfgkle' fi Wbtmaooao ALEXANDER LAUGHJLIN, J18, 01F SEWICKLEY, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTROGALVANIZING APPA'IUS.

Application filed. November 25, 1914. Serial No. 874,004.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER LAUGH- LIN, Jr., of Sewickley, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Electrogalvanizing Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

In coating tubes by the electro-galvanizing process, difficulty has heretofore been caused by the lack of uniformity in the coating, those portions of each tube in contact with the fixed conductors or other supports receiving considerably less coating than the remaining portions.

The primary object of my invention is to provide improved means whereby tubes will be uniformly coated over their entire external surfaces while being moved through an electro-plating solution.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 is an end elevation. Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view. Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of one of the conveyerchains. Fig. '6 is a plan view showing the manner in which the tubes are removed from the ci'onveyer. Fig. 7 is anend elevation on air, enlarged scale of the parts shown in Fig. 6. Figs. 8 and 9 show a slight modifica ti on.

Referringto the drawings, 1 designates a tank which is. designed to contain the desired electrolytic bath. Above the tank, and extending transversely thereof, is a main or driving shaft 2 to which power is applied from any suitable source. Keyed to this shaft 2 are sprocket-wheels 3 with which engage conveyer-chains 4 by which the tubes or other articlesare transferred through the tank. The chains engage idler sprocket-wheels 5 mounted on a common shaft 6, and larger sprocket-wheels 7 at the opposite ends of the tank: To the links of the conveyer-chains are affixed blocks 9, which, in the travel of the chains through the tank, fit in and are supported by guideways 10 extending longitudinally of the tank parallel with the sides thereof. These guideways, and likewise the blocks 9, are

Specification of Letters Patent.

'ing shaft by a sprocket-chain 26.

Patented Dec. I2, 19th.

at its inner end a sufiicient distance beyond the guideways 10 to enable a tube to be suspended from opposite pins of the two conveyer chains. I I

13 designates the cathode conductors which are arranged parallel with the sides of the tank above and one side of the guideways 10, said conductors being supported by any suitable means, such as brackets 14, as shown in Fig. 4:. The outwardly projecting ends of the tube-supporting pins 12 are designed to contact with the undersides of the cathodeconductors, such pins forming electrical connection between the tubes and such cathodeconductors. The latter are connected to the negative pole of the source of electrical energy, as shown in Fig. 1. The blocks insulate the chains from the pins.

The tubes are positioned on the inner portions of oppositely-disposed pins 12 by longitudinal movements in opposite directions. As the conveyer-chains travel forward and the blocks of the several tube-supporting pins are brought down into the guideways 10 the outwardly projecting ends of such pins engage the undersides of the cathode-conductors. At the delivery end of the machine the pinsleave the conductors at or about the time the blocks leave the guideways, and as the tubes travel upwardly out of the bath they are one by one removed from the conveyer. Although the tubes may be removed by hand, I prefer to efi'ect their removal automatica-lly, and this I accomplish, according to the means shown, by successively act- .ing throw-off levers 20 which normally lie in close proximity to the paths of the ends of the tubes as the latter reach the sprocketwheels 3 of the driving shaft. These levers 20 are fulcrumed at 21 to a cross-beam of the tank-frame and are preferably so formed as to span the driving shaft. To each lever is secured ,one member 22 of a two-part clutch, which member is capable of being forced longitudinally of the driving shaft by the complementary clutch member 23 which is designed to be rotated by a chain 24 driven by a sprocket-wheel on a counter-shaft 25 which derives its power from the main driv- Neither of the clutch members is keyed, or otherwise attached, to the main driving shaft; the member 22 is not. intended to revolve, but only to move longitudinally of such driving shaft; while the clutch member 23 is rotated by chain 24. When the clutch member 22 is forced outwardly by the toothed portions of the co-acting clutch member it carries the throw-0H lever 20 with it, but as soon as the teeth of the clutch members will permit, the lever 20, and with it the clutch member 22, are quickly drawn inwardly by a spring 27. and during this inward movement the end of the lever .20 engages the end of the tube, and by a longitudinal movement disengages it from its supporting pin. The two throw- .off levers act successively so that the tube is deprived of its support first at one end and then at the other. As the tube is removed from its supporting pins it is caught by the fingers of wheels 28 on shaft 29 which is reversely rotated by a belt 30 driven by the main operating shaft. By the wheels 28 the tube is discharged from the machine into any suitable receptacle, such as a washer.

I have shown upper and lower series of anodes 31 located above and below the path of travel of the tubes, such anodes being connected to the positive pole of the source of electrical energy. Any suitable means may be employed for supporting the anodes within the .tank.

In operation, the tubes in their travel through the electrolytic bath are not in bodily contact at any point with the cathode conductors, being supported wholly at their ends by the pins (if the conveyer. In consequence I am enabled to uniformly coat each tube over its entire exterior surface.

Furthermore by having the tube-supporting pins in frictional engagement with the undersides of the cathode conductors I am enabled to keep the surfaces of such conductors comparatively free from the coating compound, thus not only effecting economies in operation but insuring theproduction of bet ter results. The contact of the tube-supporting pins with the conductors serves to prevent lateral distortion of the chains.

Changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention. Thus, as

, shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the cathode conductor may be located inwardly from the side of the tank. In this event the bodies of the pipe-supporting pins 12 will extend beneath the insulating blocks 9 so as to travel on the upper surface of the conductor 13, and the outer ends of the pins will engage the undersides of guides 10*.

I claim .as my invention:

1. In an electro-plating apparatus, the combination with a tank and fixed conductors extendinglongitudinally therethrough, of means for moving tubes through said tank, and supports for said tubes arranged at right angles to and designed to engage said conductors, said supports being carried by said moving means and designed to extend into the tubes at the opposite ends thereof.

2. The combination with a tank, of a conveyer extending lengthwise thereof, guides for said conveyer, tube-supporting members carried by said conveyer and extending transversely of said guides, and fixed conductors with which said members engage.

3. The combination with a tank, of a conveyer extending lengthwise thereof, guides for said conveyer, fixed conductors arranged parallel with but in a different plane from said guides, and tube-supporting members carried by said conveyer and arranged transversely of said guides, said members engaging said conductors.

4. The combination with a tank, of a conveyer extending lengthwise thereof, guides in which said conveyer travels, fixed conductors arranged parallel with and above said guides, and tube-supporting members carried by said conveyer and arranged transversely of said guides, said members engaging said conductors.

5. The combination with a tank, of conveyer chains paralleling the sides thereof, guides for said chains, insulating blocks carried by said chains, tube-supporting pins extending transversely of said blocks, and fixed conductors with which said pins engage.

6. The combination with a tank, of conveyer chains paralling the sides thereof, guides in which said chains travel, blocks carried by said chains movable in said guides, tube-supporting pins extending transversely through said blocks, and fixed conductors located to the side of and above said guides and with the undersides of which said pins engage.

7. In an electro-plating apparatus, the combination with means for interiorly engaging and supporting tubes and moving them through an electro-plating solution, of means adapted to engage said tubes to remove them from said supporting means.

8. In an electro-plating apparatus the combination with means for i nteriorly engaging and supporting tubes and moving sitely-extending members for supporting tubes at their ends, delivery wheels having tube-supporting fingers, and means for automatically transferring the tubes from said supporting members to said wheels.

12. In an electro-plating apparatus, in combination with a conveyer having oppositely-extending members for supporting tubes at their ends, periodically-actuated throw-off members for successively engaging the opposite ends of each tube, and delivery Wheels having tube-supporting fingers for receiving and discharging the tubes.

13. In an electro-plating apparatus, the combination of a tank, electrolytic liquid, a linked conveyor arranged at one side of the tank, a plurality of object supporting devices connected with the said conveyer, means for automatically releasing a plated object" from its supporting device, and means for automatically transferring objects plated to a position outside said tank.

14:. In an electroplating apparatus, a tank having cathode rails extending therethrough,

and means for conveying tubes through said tank between said rails and substantially parallel with the plane thereof comprising means for conveying current between said rails and said tubes.

15. In an apparatus for electroplating tubular articles, the combination with a tank for the electrolyte, and an anode, of cathode rails spaced outside of the ends of the tubes being plated, means for supporting the tubes in the electrolyte between said rails, and means for moving said tubes in continuous electrical connection with said rails.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ALEXANDER LAUGHLIN, R.

Witnesses ALEX LAUGHLIN, TEXANA M. DANLEY. 

